Reborn as Petunia Evans with a System

After marveling at the shops in Diagon Alley, Mrs. Snape suggested she handle purchasing all the books while we focused on getting fitted for our Hogwarts uniforms.

"I'll leave you here at Madam Malkin's," she said warmly. "Severus, make sure to stay with the Evans and behave yourself."

Severus nodded dutifully, but I noticed the way his eyes lingered on her, as if he didn't quite want her to leave. She gave him a quick hug, ruffled his hair gently, and disappeared into the crowd.

The three of us together with our parents stepped into Madam Malkin's shop, which was bustling with activity. The air was warm, filled with the faint hum of sewing charms and the soft swish of fabric. The walls were lined with shelves holding bolts of rich, dark material, and enchanted tape measures darted around, taking measurements without a single wasted motion.

Madam Malkin herself stood at the counter, chatting with a young boy whose black robes she was adjusting. She was a plump, cheerful woman with curly black hair, a welcoming smile, and a motherly demeanor.

"New Hogwarts students, I see!" she said brightly as we entered. "Come in, come in. There's plenty of room!"

The boy standing on a platform turned to look at us. He was tall for his age, with stormy gray eyes and wavy dark hair that seemed to fall perfectly in place without effort. He wore a confident smirk that made him look older than he probably was.

One of Madam Malkin's assistants gestured toward an empty platform. "Why don't you step up here, miss?" she said, looking at me.

"Go ahead, Tuney," Lily said, giving me a little push. "We'll wait our turn."

As I climbed onto the platform, the boy on the next one caught my eye and gave me a lopsided grin. "I must've stepped into a dream," he said dramatically. "Because there's no way someone as angelic as you is real."

I blinked in surprise, a little taken aback by his boldness. "Excuse me?"

Madam Malkin chuckled as she adjusted the hem of his robes. "Sirius Black, stop flirting with every girl who walks through my door."

"I'm not flirting," Sirius said with mock innocence, though his smirk betrayed him. "I'm simply stating facts."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?"

He placed a hand over his heart, pretending to look wounded. "You wound me. I prefer the term 'truth-teller.'"

I shook my head, amused, and decided to humor him. "Petunia Evans," I said, introducing myself.

"Petunia," he said, testing the name like it was something precious. "Beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Madam Malkin snorted. "You're incorrigible, Sirius. Stand still, or I'll never finish this fitting."

Just as Sirius was stepping off his platform, Severus entered the room with Lily. His dark eyes narrowed as he spotted Sirius.

"Who's that?" Severus asked, his tone clipped as he walked over to me.

"That's Sirius Black," I said, watching Sirius grab his bag and head for the door.

Severus stiffened. "A Black? What did he want?"

"Nothing," I said quickly. "He was just being… friendly."

"Friendly?" Severus muttered under his breath, his expression darkening.

Madam Malkin clapped her hands. "Next up!"

Severus shot one last glare toward the door where Sirius had disappeared before stepping up for his fitting. As Madam Malkin worked, I glanced at Lily, who seemed more interested in watching the enchanted tape measures zip around than in the tension brewing between Severus and me.

Once we were all fitted, Madam Malkin handed us our packages with a cheery, "Good luck at Hogwarts!"

As we left the shop, I caught Severus muttering about "arrogant purebloods." I sighed and gave his sleeve a gentle tug.

"Sev, it's fine. He didn't mean any harm."

"He's a Black, Tuney," Severus said firmly, his voice low. "They're trouble."

"Not everyone fits the mold they're born into," I said softly, thinking of Severus and his own struggles.

He looked at me, his frown softening slightly, and nodded. "Just… be careful."

I smiled and squeezed his hand. "Always."